r to scramble out of the pocket.Peterman was released after McDermott said he maintained confidence in the second-year

BOSTON (AP) — The party’s over for Rob Gronkowski. Then again Elgton Jenkins Jersey , it might just be getting started.The New England Patriots‘ fun-loving, touchdown-spiking tight end announced Sunday that he is retiring from the NFL after nine mostly dominant, Super Bowl-filled seasons.The four-time All-Pro posted his decision on Instagram , saying that a few months shy of his 30th birthday “it’s time to move forward and move forward with a big smile.”“It all started at 20 years old on stage at the NFL draft when my dream came true, and now here I am about to turn 30 in a few months with a decision I feel is the biggest of my life so far,” Gronkowski wrote in his post. “I will be retiring from the game of football today.”Drew Rosenhaus, Gronkowski’s agent, confirmed his client’s decision to retire.The playmaking tight end, who turns 30 in May, leaves as a three-time Super Bowl champion who established himself as one of the most dominant players at his position and one of Tom Brady’s favorite targets. His personality — on and off the field — was as big as his biceps, and he always seemed to be the life of the party.“In the nine years that I have known Rob Gronkowski, I have never known him to have a bad day,” Patriots owner Robert Kraft said in a statement. “He always has a youthful exuberance about him and is a joy to be around.But Gronkowski has been dogged in recent seasons by back, knee, ankle and arm injuries that have limited his ability to stay on the field.It led him to hint at retirement following New England’s Super Bowl loss to the Philadelphia Eagles to end the 2017 season and again last month after the Patriots’ Super Bowl win over the Los Angeles Rams.In his Instagram post, Gronkowski thanked the Patriots organization http://www.packerscheapshoponline.com/cheap-authentic-jace-sternberger-jersey , coach Bill Belichick and New England’s fans for their support during his nine NFL seasons.“Thank you for everyone accepting who I am and the dedication I have put into my work to be the best player I could be,” Gronkowski wrote.Belichick said Gronkowski was a major reason the Patriots won championships.“His production spoke for itself, but his daily attitude, unmistakably positive energy wherever he went and toward whoever he touched will never be forgotten,” Belichick said in a statement.Gronkowski’s teammates also almost immediately began to flood social media with well-wishes.“Love you man!!” Brady wrote on Instagram, along with an emoji of a goat to refer to Gronkowski as the greatest of all-time. “Couldn’t be a better person or teammate!!!!”It was a sentiment shared by receiver Julian Edelman.“The other goat,” Edelman posted on his Instagram page, also referring to Brady.Though he won’t have the longevity of some of his contemporaries at tight end, Gronkowski is expected to get strong consideration for the Pro Football Hall of Fame when eligible.Gronkowski, a second-round pick in the 2010 draft, had his fourth career 1,000-yard receiving season in 2017 and was an All-Pro for the fourth time that season.But at times he looked like a shell of himself during the Patriots’ Super Bowl run this past season. Gronkowski finished the 2018 regular season with just 47 catches for 682 yards and three touchdowns.He had one of his best games of the season in the Patriots’ Super Bowl win over the Rams, hauling in six catches for 87 yards, including two receptions on New England’s only touchdown drive during their 13-3 victory.A fan favorite in New England for his gregarious and playful persona that included awkward dance moves and touchdown celebrations, Gronkowski was one of the most dominant tight ends of his era.His 12 career postseason touchdown receptions are the most by a tight end in NFL playoff history. His 81 career postseason catches are also best among tight ends.He’ll also retire with 79 career TD catches — regular season and playoffs — which is third all-time by a tight end behind only Antonio Gates (116) and Tony Gonzalez (111).Brady and Gronkowski connected on 78 TD passes. It is the second-most scoring connections between a quarterback and a tight end in NFL history behind only Philip Rivers and Gates (89) and is fifth overall between quarterbacks and all pass-catchers.“Rob will leave an indelible mark on the Patriots organization and the game,” Brady said Dexter Williams Jersey , “as among the best, most complete players at his position to ever play.” ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — It appears as if journeyman quarterback Matt Barkley’s successful debut as the Buffalo Bills starter will be limited to one outing.A day after a 41-10 win at the New York Jets, in which Barkley breathed life into an anemic offense in his first NFL start in nearly two years, coach Sean McDermott on Monday announced rookie Josh Allen will reclaim the starting job once he’s healthy.With the Bills entering their bye week, there’s a very good chance of Allen being back behind center on Nov. 25, when Buffalo (3-7) next takes the field hosting the Jacksonville Jaguars.“Josh is our starter when healthy, and his development is important for him and for us as we move forward, getting experience,” McDermott said. “You’ve seen a lot of quarterbacks this season play, and it’s important that he gets as many reps as he can get in live game action.”One quarterback who will no longer be in the mix is turnover-prone backup Nathan Peterman, who was released by the Bills later in the day.Allen is 2-3 as a starter, and has missed four games since spraining his right throwing elbow. The first-round draft pick began testing his arm on Nov. 2, and spent all of last week practicing on a limited basis. He wasn’t ruled out from playing against the Jets until Saturday.McDermott said Allen continues to make progress and threw passes earlier in the day.Allen’s status, however, doesn’t diminish what Barkley accomplished in helping Buffalo snap a four-game skid less than two weeks after signing with the Bills.“I liked the look in his eye and the energy he gave our offense Nick Bosa Jersey ,” McDermott said of Barkley, now on his sixth team in six seasons.In being the fourth quarterback to start for the Bills this season, Barkley was the first to complete two touchdown passes, including one to left tackle Dion Dawkins, and finishing 15 of 25 for 232 yards passing. He oversaw an offense that set season-highs in points, total yards (451), yards rushing (212), first downs (23) and converted eight of 16 third-down opportunities.The 41 points alone topped the 33 Buffalo combined to score in its previous four games, and marked nearly half of the 96 points the Bills scored through their first nine games.Just as important, Barkley didn’t commit a turnover after Buffalo’s quarterbacks combined for 12 interceptions — three of them returned for touchdowns — and three lost fumbles in their previous six games.Rookie Robert Foster had three catches for 105 yards receiving in becoming Buffalo’s first player to top 100 since Deonte Thompson had 107 in a 30-27 win over Tampa Bay on Oct. 22, 2017.Even running back LeSean McCoy benefited by scoring twice to end a 10-game scoring drought, dating to last season. With 113 yards rushing, McCoy also topped 100 for the first time since gaining 156 on a snow-covered field in a 13-7 overtime win against Indianapolis last Dec. 10.“I knew that I could play in this league,” Barkley said after improving his career record to 2-5. “I don’t want to be cliche by saying it’s like riding a bike, but I’ve done this for years. I believe I was made to play football, and tonight was just an example of going out there and doing what I was made to do.”In the big picture L.J. Collier Jersey , the Bills are grooming Allen — not Barkley — to be their long-term starter.“There’s something to be said for energy and momentum and what not, but at the same time I know what Josh can do,” McDermott said, when asked if he considered sticking with the hot hand in Barkley.Perhaps, he added, Barkley provided Allen a blueprint of how the Bills can succeed.Allen showed the telltale signs of being a rookie in going 75 of 139 for 832 yards with two touchdowns and five interceptions in five-plus games before he was hurt. Allen also had 155 yards rushing and three touchdowns, though he was occasionally knocked for being too eager to scramble out of the pocket.Peterman was released after McDermott said he maintained confidence in the second-year player.That wasn’t apparent in McDermott’s actions in starting Barkley against the Jets, a week after Peterman threw three interceptions in a 41-9 loss to Chicago. Peterman was selected in the fifth round of the 2017 draft out of Pittsburgh and wound up throwing 13 interceptions in nine career appearances, including playoffs.Peterman began this year as the starter, before losing the job early in the third quarter of a 47-3 season-opening loss at Baltimore.He’s best remembered for throwing five interceptions in the first half of his first career start in a 54-24 loss at the Los Angeles Chargers a little under a year ago.Derek Anderson is the third quarterback on Buffalo’s roster, and has missed two games because of a concussion.